Adjustable cutter head



- April 14, 1925. 1,533,575

H. TOOLE 3%? E MW i Gam April 14, 19,25.

' W. H. TOOLE ADJUSTABLE CUTTER HEAD Filed Aug. 26, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuantoz M1170 0Z4.

Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM HUNTER TOOLE, or LOCKHART, ALABAMA.

ADJUSTABLE CUTTER HEAD.

Application f led August 26, 1924. Serial No. 734,260.

To all 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HUNTER focus, a citizen of the Unlted States, residmg at Lockhart, 1n the county of Covmgton and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Cutter Heads, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to cutter heads, and more particularly to a cutter head for use in woodworking machines in forming tongue and groove boards, such as used for floors, ceilings, partitions, and for similar operations.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is readily adjustable to permitchanges in the width of the tongue or groove formed and in which in operation the parts are securely locked against movement with relation to one another.

A further object of the invention is to generally improve the structure of the usual type of cutter head, rendering the operation of the same more facile and the production of the same more economical.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a cutter head. so constructed that by a simple operation all of the cutters of the head may be placed in alignment with one another, as regards upper and lower cutters of the head, so as to enable rapid grinding thereof.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a cutter head constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2 9 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3- 3 of Figure 1 Figure a is an enlarged detail section showing the wedge pin employed for holding the cutters in position;

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of upper and lower cutters for grooving and edging boards removed;

Figure 7 is a perspective of a single tongue forming cutter.

Referring now more partlcularly to the drawings, the cutter head consists of a main sleeve 10 which is provided interiorlywith a tapered bore 11. This sleeve has its lower end an outstanding horizontal flange 12and has its upper end exteriorly threaded, as at 13, and interiorly threaded. as at 1%. Immediately below the upper end of the sleeve, the sleeve is reduced to provide an upwardly directed shoulder 15, the purpose of which will presently appear. Engaged with the upper end of the sleeve is a cap 16 having on its lower surface a depending exteriorly threaded flange 17 engaging the internal screw-threads of the upper end of the sleeve. The lower end of the cap is of the same diameter as the upper end of the sleeve and has a short section of external. screwthreads 18 of the same size and pitch as the sc'rew'threads upon the exterior of the upper end of the sleeve. Above these threads, as at 19, the cap is reduced in size so that a member 20 forming a locking ring, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear, may be removed thereover. v

The cap 16 is provided with a central bore, the walls of which are rabbeted to provide a bearing, tatably mounted an adjusting screw 22 hav ing a shoulder seating upon the upper surface of the capf Below the hearing, this adjusting screw is engaged by a collar an interiorly threaded bore 26 within which is mounted a set-screw 27, the upper end of which is squared for engagement by a wrench as indicated at 28, and this screw has mounted thereon a lock nut 29 by means of which it may be held in adjusted position.

The bore 11 of the main sleeve 10 tapers upwardly and has fitted therein a split locking sleeve 30, the exterior face of which is tapered to correspond with the taper of the bore 11. This sleeve is longitudinally split so that it is compressible, as indicated at 31, and the upper end of the sleeve is provided with an interiorly directed flange 82, the inner face of which is screw-threaded for coaction withthe adjusting screw 22. By

rotating this adjusting screw'it will be seen as at 21, in which is rothis shifting will have its interior diameter varied so as. to clamp it in adjusting posi" tions upon the end of the cutter shaft 84. The vertical position of the sleeve 10, with relation to the cutter shaft 8%, may be de termined by adjustment of he set-screw 27 which abuts the upper end of the shaft as shown. Threaded in the sleeve 10 is a setscrew 35 preferably blunt pointed, the inner end of which is directed through a slot 36 formed in the tapered sleeve 30 and engages in a vertical groove or key-way 37 formed in the shaft 34 to assist the tapered clamping sleeve 30 in holding the head againstrotation.

The exterior of the sleeve 10, above the flange 12 thereof, is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed keyways 38 in which are mounted keys 39. Seated upon the up-v per surface of the flange 1 and fitting the exterior of the sleeve 10 is a disk 4E0 having key-ways receiving the keys 39, this disk being of less thickness and length than the keys. Slidably mounted upon the outer surface of this sleevelO is an adjusting'sleeve ii, the lower end of which is formed with an outturned flange l2 and the upper end of which is 'exteriorly threaded as at L3. The lower end of the interior of this sleeve is formed with two pairs of diametrically opposed key-ways ll and 45 adapted for interchangeable engagement with the keys 39 for a purpose presently to appear. Seated upon the flange 42 of the sleeve a1 and keyed to the sleeve, as at 46, is a second or upper disk l7. To hold the disks 4:? and 40 against their respective flanges flush headed screws 48 are employed.

The numeral 49 designates a ring rotatab'ly engaging'the sleeve 10 immediately below the threads at the upper end thereof and having its lower face seated upon the upwardly directed shoulder 15 of this sleeve. This sleeve is provided with a depending flange 50, the interior of which is screwthreaded for engagement with the screwthreads shown exterior of the sleeve 41. Upon the sleeve i1, below the lower end of this flange 50, which together with its ring 41-9 provides an adjusting sleeve, a locking ring 51 is threaded. Above the ring l9 a second locking ring 52 is employed which is of a width greater than the distance between the upper end of the ring and the upper end of the sleeve 10, so that it engages not only the threads at the upper end of the sleeve 10 but also the threads upon the lower end of the cap 16. Each of the locking rings 51, 52, andthe ring 49 have formed therein sockets 53 for engagement by the tang of a spanner wrench.

Each of the disks 40 and 47 is adapted for the reception of a plurality of cutters these cutters being of the usual construction which is illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7.. As a means of retaining these cutters in cutter performs a reverse of this operation.

In the normal relative positions of the disks 4:7 and 40 the knives or cutters are staggered with relation to one another, the knives of one disk being midway between the knives of the other disk. It will be obvious that if the knives be ground in position not only will it require a greater length of time to grind the knives but it will furthermore be seen that there is liability of adjacent cutters being injured'during grinding of any one of the cutters. It is for this reason that the two sets of key-ways in the sleeve ll have been provided. lVhen the sleeve ell. is elevated by the adjusting sleeve or flange 50, this elevation may. be continued to a point at which the lower end of the sleeve is disengaged from the upper ends of the keys 39, at which time the sleeve may be rotatet through a portion of its circumference to align the key-ways 4a with the keys 39 and the cutter again moved downwardly. This places all of the cutters, upper and lower. in alignment for grinding.

It will be obvious that the structure hereinbefore set forth is capable of a considerable range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of my invention, and I accordingly do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In a cutter head for woodworking ma chines, a main sleeve, means for attaching the main sleeve to a shaft. a pair of cutter disks carried by the main sleeve and having cutter heads, means upon the main sleeve for maintaining the cutter disks stationary with relation to the main sleeve with the cutters thereof in staggered relation, one of said cutter disks being adjustable toward and from the other of said cutter disks upon the main sleeve, and means for shifting the last named cutter disk to align the cutters thereof with the cutters of the other cutter disk.

2. In a cutter head for woodworking machines, a main sleeve, means for attaching the'main sleeve to a shaft, a pair of cutter disks carried by the main sleeve and having cutter heads, means upon the main sleeve for maintaining the cutter disks stationary with relation to the main sleeve with the cutters thereof in staggered relation, one of said cutter disks being adjustable toward and from the other of said cutter disks upon the cutters corresponding in number and ar-v rangement to the cutters of the first disk, said second cutter disk being mounted upon a sleeve adjustable upon the outer surface of the main sleeve, the main sleeve having a key coacting with a key-way of the adjustable sleeve and when engaged in said key-way maintaining the cutters oi": the adjustable disk in staggered relation to the cutters of the stationary disk, said sleeve having a second key-wayfor coaction with said key and when engaged therewith posi tioning said sleeve to maintain the cutters of the adjustable disk in alignment with the cutters of the stationary disk.

4; In a cutter head, a main sleeve having means for attaching the same to a shaft, a cutter disk fixed'with relation to the main sleeve and having a plurality of circumtterentially spaced cutters, a second-cutter disk adjustable upon the main sleeve and having cutters corresponding in number and arrangement to the cutters of the first disk, said second cutter disk being mounted upon a sleeve adjustableupon the outer surface of the main sleeve, the main sleeve having a key coacting with a key-way of the adjust able sleeve and when engaged in said keyway maintaining the cutters ot' the adjustable disk in staggered relation to the cutters oi? the stationary disk, said sleeve having a second key-Way for coaction with said key and when engaged therewith positioning said sleeve to maintain the cutters of the adjustable disk in alignment with the cutters of the stationary disk, and means carried by said main sleeve and having oper ative engagement with said. adjustable sleeve for shifting the adjustable sleeve upon the main sleeve from a point where it is en-' gaged with the key of the main sleeve to a point where it clears said key and is rotatable upon the main sleeve.

5. In a cutter head, a main sleeve having means forattaching the same to a shaft, a cutter disk fixed with relation to the main sleeve and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutters, a secondcutter disk adjustable upon the main sleeve and having cutters corresponding in number and a rangement to the cutters of the first disk, said second cutter disk l3ei.1igmoiin'tecl upon a sleeve adjustable upon the outer surface of the main sleeve, the main sleeve having a key coacting with a key-way of the adjustable sleeve and when engaged in said keyway maintaining the cutters of the adjustable disk in staggered relation to the cutters ot the stationary disk, said sleeve having a second key-way for coaction with said key and when engaged therewith positioning said sleeve to maintain the cutters of the adj ustable disk in alignment with the cutters of the stationary disk, means carried by said main sleeve and having operative engagement with said adjustable sleeve for shitting the adjustable sleeve upon the main sleeve from a point where it is engaged with the key of the main sleeve to a point where'- it clears said key and is rotatable upon the main sleeve, comprising a collar rotatable upon the main sleeve and having a flange having threaded engagement with said adjustable sleeve, and means for 'locking'said flange and adjustable sleeve against relative movement. a l

6. In a cutter head, amain sleeve having means 'lorattaching the same to a shaft, a cutter disk fixed with relation to the main sleeve and having a plurality otcircuinterentially spaced cutters, a second cutter disk adjustable upon the main sleeve and having cutters corresponding in number and arrangement to the cutters ot' the first disk, said second cutter disk being mounted upon a sleeve adjustable upon the outer surface of the main sleeve, the main sleeve havin a key coacting with a key-way ot the ad ustablesleeve and when engaged in said key-way maintaining the cutters oi? the adjustable disk in staggered relation to the cutters of the stationary disk, said sleeve having a second key-way for coaction with said key and when engaged therewith positioning said sleeve to maintain the cutters of the adjustable disk in alignment with the cutters of the stationary disk, means carried by said main sleeve and having operative engagement with said adjustable sleeve for shifting the adjustable sleeve upon the main sleeve from a point where it is engaged with the key of the main sleeve to a point where it clears said key and is rotatable upon the main sleeve, comprising a collar rotatable upon the main sleeve and having a flange having threaded engagement with said adjustable sleeve, means tor locking said flange and adjustable sleeveagainst relative movement, and means for locking said collar and main sleeve against relative movement.

7. In a cutter for woodworking machines, a main sleeve adapted to be secured to a shaft, a pair of cutter disks carried by the pair of keys carried by the main sleeve, a connection between the adjustable cutter and the main sleevehavinga keyway and means for lockingthe cutter against longitudinal shifting with the keyway in engagement with either of the keys.

8. In a cutter for woodw-orking machines, a main sleeve adapted to be secured to a shaft, a pair 01 cutter disks carried by the sleeve and having cutters, one of said disks being stationary and the other longitudinally adjustable upon the main leeve, a pair of keys carried by the main sleeve, a connection between the adjustable cutter and the main sleeve having a keyway, means for locking the cutter against longitudinal shifting with the keyway in engagement with either of the keys including a member rotatable upon the main sleeve and having threaded engagement with the connection of the adjustable cutter disk to the main sleeve and a locking ring carried by said connection for engagement with said member.

9. In a cutter for woodworking machines, a main sleeve adaptedto be secured to a shaft, a pair of cutter disks carried by the sleeve and having cutters, one 0t said disks being stationary and the other longitu- 'dinally adjustable upon the main sleeve, a

pair of keys carried by the main sleeve, a connection between the adjustable cutter and the main sleeve having av keyway, means for locking the cutter against longitudinal shitting with the keyway in engagement with either of the keys including a member rotatable upon the main sleeve and having threaded engagement with the connection of the adjustable cutter disk to the main sleeve, a locking ring carried by said connection for engagement with said member, said r0- tatable member and adjustable cutter disk and its connection with the main sleeve be ing bodily removable from the main sleeve as a unit and means for locking such unit in position against removal from the main sleeve.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signatur WILLIAM HUNTE R TOOLE. 

